A groundbreaking figure in baseball broadcasting has passed away. René Cárdenas, who made history as Major League Baseball’s first full-time Spanish-language announcer, died Sunday at his Houston residence at age 96, the Astros announced Monday.
Cárdenas began his historic career when the Dodgers relocated from Brooklyn to Los Angeles in 1958. His pioneering work included being part of the inaugural Spanish-language broadcast of the World Series in 1959 and calling the All-Star Game in Spanish two years after that.
“We mourn the passing of René Cárdenas, who in 1958 with the Dodgers became the first full-time Spanish-language broadcaster in MLB history and would ultimately spend 21 years behind the mic for Los Angeles,” the Dodgers said Sunday in a social media post.
The newly formed Houston Colt .45s brought Cárdenas aboard in 1961 for their debut 1962 season. He remained with the organization for 14 seasons, continuing his role when the team became the Astros in 1965 upon moving to the Astrodome.
“With yesterday’s passing of Rene Cardenas, we lost a true legend and pioneer in broadcasting,” the Astros wrote Monday in a statement on social media. “As the franchise first Spanish broadcaster, Rene had a tremendous impact on the success of the Colt .45s/Astros in Houston’s large Hispanic community and beyond. We send our heartfelt condolences to Rene’s family and loved ones.”
After returning to his homeland of Nicaragua in 1975, Cárdenas made his way back to Major League Baseball in 1981, becoming the Texas Rangers’ inaugural Spanish-language broadcaster, according to former Rangers public relations executive John Blake.
His second tenure with the Dodgers began in 1982 and spanned nearly 20 years. He also made another return to Houston, becoming the first broadcaster to call Astros games in Spanish on television in 2008.
Following his retirement from the booth, Cárdenas continued contributing to baseball through writing for the Astros’ Spanish-language website and La Prensa, a newspaper in Nicaragua.
Beyond baseball, Cárdenas covered major sporting events, including the 1971 heavyweight boxing bout between Muhammad Ali and Jimmy Ellis at the Astrodome.
His contributions to the sport earned him multiple honors: induction into the Nicaragua Baseball Hall of Fame in 2000, the Broadcasters Wing of the Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum Hall of Fame in 2002, and the Astros Baseball Media Wall of Honor in 2013.
